WeatherBug launches GIS-based data feed

California,USA, 19 March 2007: ESRI Worldwide Business Partner WeatherBug, a provider of live, local weather information, today announced immediate availability of a new service in its suite of professional products.

WeatherBug's GIS Data Services enable enterprise and government customers to integrate live weather information from WeatherBug's Network of 8,000 WeatherBug Tracking Stations into existing GIS based decision support systems. Integrating live weather data into GIS-based platforms helps centralize asset management, improves command center operations and enables critical decisions to be made quickly, efficiently and confidently. WeatherBug's GIS Data Services are currently available for integration through ESRI platforms, including ArcGIS and ArcIMS, the de facto standard in the GIS industry.

Specific components of WeatherBug's GIS Data Services include:
# Current Surface Weather Plots
# Current Surface Weather Contours
# Forecast Surface Weather
# Radar and Satellite
# Tropical Weather
# Severe Weather Alerts

GIS asset management systems are used by thousands of organizations and agencies worldwide to manage information that has geographical locations associated with it. Integrating real time, local weather data from WeatherBug is a key component for managing and solving a variety of issues
such as planning transportation routes and labor schedules and dispatching utility crews when severe weather hits.

WeatherBug's GIS Data Services will enable to pinpoint severe weather events at exact locations and display alerts for them. Additionally, they will be able to provide the same common operational picture of weather related events and ensure local emergency response teams outside of the EOC and state agencies such as the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the National Guard and the Colorado Department of Transportation all have the information.

"When it comes to planning and coordinating emergency response activities, weather can be a vital element to the overall picture. If the emergency is weather-related such as snowstorms or flooding, or is impacted by weather such as wildfires, or an airborne dispersion of any sort, knowing what the weather is in real time can be absolutely critical," said Jon Gottsegen, State GIS Coordinator for the State of Colorado. "WeatherBug's GIS Data Services will allow us to get the true picture of the situation on the ground. It gives us an opportunity to plan ahead and to efficiently communicate that information with multiple parties."

Source : http://www.prnewswire.com